Cencora Alliance Healthcare supports CircuBack, the CiPPPA scheme giving used blister packs across the U.K. a second life
Cencora Alliance Healthcare and MYGroup are delighted to support the CiPPPA CircuBack initiative, helping to make blister packs recycling accessible and practical while advancing more sustainable pharmaceutical packaging across the healthcare system.
Blister packs are one of the most common forms of pharmaceutical packaging, with around 85% of solid unit drug doses in Europe packed in blister pack. Their composite structure of plastic and aluminium foil makes them difficult to recycle through household collections, meaning most end up in landfill or incineration, wasting valuable resources and contributing to avoidable emissions.
Globally 36 million tonnes of blister packs are produced and in the United Kingdom, the NHS alone is estimated to use over 150 million blister packs annually. While they serve a vital functional role in modern medicine, their environmental footprint has become an increasing cause for concern.
“Blister packs are often considered among the most challenging components of primary pharmaceutical packaging and medicinal devices to recycle, and historically efforts at recycling were siloed and fragmented. Last year’s launch of Re-Hale Phase II demonstrated the power of pre-competitive, industry-wide collaboration, and now, with the launch of CircuBack, this approach is scaling even further. Thanks to the technical expertise, practical input, and financial commitment of our members, years of dedication have delivered significant progress, achieving what once seemed almost impossible. The programme is driving systemic change across the sector and supporting behaviour change among the public, marking a major milestone in advancing circular solutions for pharmaceutical packaging.”
— Maryam Babba, Ph.D., Multi-stakeholder Manager, TDi Sustainability
The CircuBack blister packs recycling initiative is part of the Circularity in Primary Pharmaceutical Packaging Accelerator (CiPPPA) initiative, managed by TDi Sustainability. TDi is funded by its membership, including pharmaceutical companies. For more information on the members, visit Membership.
About Cencora
Cencora is a leading global pharmaceutical solutions organization centered on improving the lives of people and animals around the world. We partner with pharmaceutical innovators across the value chain to facilitate and optimize market access to therapies. Care providers depend on us for the secure, reliable delivery of pharmaceuticals, healthcare products, and solutions. Our 51,000+ worldwide team members contribute to positive health outcomes through the power of our purpose: We are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures. Cencora is ranked #10 on the Fortune 500 and #17 on the Global Fortune 500 with more than $300 billion in annual revenue.
About CiPPPA
The Circularity in Primary Pharmaceutical Packaging Accelerator (CiPPPA) is a not-for-profit industry initiative, project managed by TDi Sustainability, and made up of members from across the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. It connects stakeholders across the entire pharmaceutical supply chain to develop and deploy solutions for the recycling of primary pharmaceutical packaging. For more information on the members, visit https://cipppa.org/membership/.
Press contact
Sam Unsworth, Head of Communications, Cencora — Sam.unsworth@cencora.uk